News from The Associated Press: An EU legislator urged the leader of Cyprus’ breakaway Turkish north on Thursday to repeal an anti-gay law that has led to the arrest of a former Greek Cypriot Cabinet minister.

Associated Press: “A European ruling banning crucifixes in Italian schools should be overturned, nine European governments said in an appeal Wednesday. … The decisions of the court — an arm of the Council of Europe, the continent’s premier human rights watchdog — are binding on the council’s 47 member states and therefore have an impact far beyond Italy.”

European Center for Law and Justice: “For the first time in the record of the ECHR, ten member States are simultaneously intervening as ‘third party’ in one single case. The case at stake is the Lautsi case – also known as the ‘crucifix case’ – which will go before the Grand Chamber of the ECHR on June 30th. The Court has communicated to the ECLJ the list of the following Member States: Armenia; Bulgaria; Cyprus; Greece; Lithuania; Malta; Monaco; San-Marino; Romania; The Russian Federation.”

EU Observer: “A fresh survey by the International Lesbian and Gay Association has said that the predominantly Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christian countries of eastern Europe have the worst track record on gay rights. Ukraine and Russia scored the lowest on the ILGA index, closely followed by Belarus, Moldova and Turkey. In the EU, Cyprus, Latvia and Poland are the least progressive. Belarus police on Saturday (15 May) cemented the country’s reputation by violently breaking-up a small, 20-person-strong Slavic Pride march.”

Jakarta Globe: “Today seven countries, five US states and several Latin American cities have legalized same-sex marriage. The Netherlands ushered the way in 2001, the first nation to permit same-sex couples to marry legally. This historic decision marked a turning point, with demands for equality reverberating across borders. Barriers fell as Belgium (2003), Canada and Spain (2005), South Africa (2006), Norway and Sweden (2009) each approved legislation.”

Reuters: “A furious dispute has erupted in Cyprus after the ruling communists set their sights on the island’s wealthy Orthodox Church of Cyprus to help plug a runaway deficit. The island’s government says it wants to start a dialogue with the Church regarding the millions it says the church owes in unpaid taxes.”